Virtually invincible in the solo exercise for two years, the Belgian retained his world title in the time trial on Sunday September 22, less than two months after his triumph at the Paris Olympic Games.
He became the first runner in history to win the Olympic and world time trial titles in the same year, a feat also achieved, three hours earlier, by Australian Grace Brown in the women’s race.
“I got back into shape just in time”
On a 46.1 km course that suited him perfectly, he beat two Italians by 6 and 54 seconds respectively: Filippo Ganna, already second at the Paris Olympics, and the surprising Edoardo Affini who proved superior to favourites like the Briton Josh Tarling (4e) or the Swiss Stefan Küng (8e).
“It’s crazy, I got back in shape just in time”commented Evenepoel, who managed to remobilise after his fantastic double this summer at the Paris Olympics, in the time trial and the road race.
A chain problem
But it wasn’t all that easy. The 24-year-old Flemish prodigy even called his time trial a “more complicated than (s) for life » after having had a real scare in the starting gate when he blew his chain a few seconds before the countdown.
Although his team had already brought him a spare bike, he finally managed to set off on time on his planned gold-painted machine and take the lead from the first intermediate time.
Power sensor failure
But that wasn’t all. Deprived of a power sensor that had broken down, he had to do the entire course without this tool that has become indispensable to the modern cyclist. It allows him, especially in a time trial, to follow a performance plan established in advance.
“I had to go by feeling. It was difficult to keep the right pace because I was going a bit blindly.”commented the Belgian who took up to 19 seconds at the second intermediate time before faltering slightly at the end.
Soudal-Quick Step team prodigy fills his trophy cabinet
“I had a hard time in the last two or three kilometres. But in a championship you don’t care about the gaps. In the end it was another good day”stressed the Belgian who raised both arms, a rare gesture in a time trial, as he crossed the line before falling into the arms of his wife, Oumi.
With this new rainbow jersey, the Soudal-Quick Step prodigy continues to fill his trophy cabinet during a season that also saw him take third place in the Tour de France.
He can still push the limits on Sunday September 29 during the road race, in which he will be one of the main favorites with Tadej Pogacar.
Grace Brown’s last dream season (FDJ-Suez)
In the women’s category, Australian Grace Brown achieved the Olympic-World Championship double, finishing 16 seconds ahead of Dutchwoman Demi Vollering and 56 seconds ahead of American Chloé Dygert.
Long a regular in places of honour, the Australian, a member of the FDJ-Suez team, will retire at the end of the season at the age of 32. She is having a dream final year which also saw her win the great Belgian classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
“A lot of people tell me I can’t stop after this. But no, it’s always been planned. I feel blessed to have had such a career and to end it in such a way.”said Brown, eager to return to her continent which she misses so much.
The rankings
Men’s time trial ranking: 1. Evenepoel (Bel.) in 53′ 01″, 2. Ganna (Ita.) at 6″, 3. Affini (Ita.) at 54″, 4. Tarling (GB) at 1′ 17″, 5 Vine (Aus.) at 1′ 24″… 11. Armirail (Fra.) at 2′ 04″… 21. Guernalec (Fra.) at 3′ 13″…
Women’s time trial ranking: 1. Brown (Aus.) in 39′ 16”, 2. Vollering (NL) at 16”, 3. Dygert (USA) at 56”, 4. Niedermaier (1′ 05”), 5. Kopecky (Bel.) at 1′ 39”… 9. Labous (Fra.) at 1′ 51”… 14. Kerbaol (Fra.) at 2′ 49”…
